Here is the full list of the 2013 winners and finalists of the Hawaii Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists that were recognized Friday evening at the Manoa Grand Ballroom of the Japanese Culture Center over on Oahu.

The ceremony and banquet was emceed by Keoki Kerr and Robbie Dingeman. The Colorado Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists judged the 2013 contest.

Every entrant had to pay $25.00 per category to have their entry judged.

Overall comment: “This category has a broad variety of entries. I think the “”Modern Cowboys”” video might fit better in another place. Very strong column-writing entries. It was tough to decide between No. 1 and No. 2!”

Comments: “Excellent footwork in getting to the crash site, sticking with pursuit of survivors and capturing the aircraft’s final plunge into the ocean.”

“Shark attack,” Chris Sugidono, Melissa Tanji – Maui News

Comments: “Diligent pursuit of a rare rash of shark attacks and in getting firsthand accounts from a tourist’s rescuers.”

Health Reporting

First Place – “The Doctor Is Out, June 2013,” David Thompson, Honolulu Magazine

Comments: “A comprehensive and highly readable story about an issue with high public impact. The author explains well the reasons for critical doctor shortages, potential solutions and programs in play.”

Comments: “Wow. This package is very well designed and obviously comprehensive. While outsiders might not fully understand, they would after reading this special section. It’s the ‘spirit and the culture of the Hawaiian people.’”

Comments: “Amazing series. Good mix of facts, history/context and storytelling. Bonus points for the bar charts on the first story as a way of presenting big data points in a digestible format.”

Finalists

“State Hospital Investigation,” Keoki Kerr, Hawaii News Now

Comments: “Fine journalism!”

“GMO Hawaii: A war is waging in the islands,” Tom Callis, Hawaii Tribune-Herald

Comments: “Wide-ranging stories give a very good overview of GMO in the state, with perspective from both sides.”

Public Service Reporting

First Place – “In the Name of the Law,” Nick Grube, Patti Epler—Civil Beat

Comments: “A clear winner in a very competitive category. The depth and breadth of this series was impressive … an extraordinary and chilling investigation into law enforcement misconduct and its ability to operate beyond public scrutiny.”

“GMO Hawaii: A war is waging in the islands,” Meg Scarbrough, Hawaii Tribune-Herald

INTERNET

Online News Reporting

First Place – “Diane Lee’s Reporting on the Same-Sex-Marriage Special Session,” Diane Lee, Honolulu Magazine

Comments: “I like the presentation as a package, sort of a non-linear way to tell the story. I wish the layout on the landing page had better use of headline font sizes so they’d stand out more. And in the “”man on the street”” interviews, I wish they could have been done in video instead of text, just to underscore this is online journalism. But those are quibbles. Great job done in a different way, on a big news story.”

Comments: “Wow, comprehensive and incredibly well-done. Tackles a difficult, dense subject in digestible chunks and organizes the issues well. Also like that you’re including links to ‘Ongoing Coverage.’”

Finalist

“In the Name of the Law,” Staff, Civil Beat

Comments: “Solid reporting, interesting look at how law enforcement is working (or not working). Wish there were more ways to incorporate video, but the infographic is good, and the searchable database is very nice to have.”

Comments: General Interest Site. Good reporting though w/o bylines these read a bit anonymous…

“All Hawaii News – Top Hawaii government and political news from all the islands,” Nancy Cook Lauer, All Hawaii News

Best 1-Person Online News Site/1-Person News Blog

“All Hawaii News- Top Hawaii government and political news from all the islands,” Nancy Cook Lauer , All Hawaii News

Comments: “This site glows with the passion of its creator. The writing isn’t elegant, it’s straight-on journalism and unvarnished commentary, and it’s alive with the moment and depth of knowledge and love for the state. Awesome, and an example of one future for journalism.”

Comments: “Very strong, evocative writing steeped in history. As a reader, I get drawn in and taken to the past in each piece submitted. One nit is not a criticism of the writer, but of the site that publishes him: The photos are dreadfully presented. And in the case of “”Hawaiian Eye,”” someone — if not the writer, then a producer or even an editor at the paper, should have embedded the TV show’s theme, which is easily available on YouTube.”

Comments: “An astonishing analysis of the high percentage — nearly 50% — of prison guards calling in sick on Super Bowl Sunday, during March madness and a parade day for a local football player. Great explanation of the impact on coworkers and why it’s so easy to call in sick.”

Finalist

“Empty City Parking Garage,” Keoki Kerr, Hawaii News Now

Business Reporting

First Place – “Business booming on Lanai with new billionaire owner,” Keoki Kerr, George Hurd, Mahealani Kahoano—Hawaii News Now

Comments: “A fine report on the changes that are coming to the traditionally closed, remote island of Lanai.”

Finalist

“HE>I” Marisa Yamane, Travis Nishida—KHON2

General News/Enterprise Reporting

First Place – “Empty New City Parking Garage,” Keoki Kerr, Hawaii News Now

Comments: “This story, about a new parking garage sitting nearly empty while city workers scramble for parking elsewhere, is perfect for television. Very nicely done.”

Feature Reporting

First Place – “Hawaii’s only elevator operator hopes to lift the spirit of others,” Olena Heu, KHON2

On April 7, 2014, Journalist Nancy Cook Lauer, President of the Big Island Press Club (BIPC), sent an email to the Chairman of the Hawaii County Council J. Yoshimoto formally protesting the treatment of three BIPC members and their equipment.

Council Members, County Clerk Stewart Maeda, and Corporation Counsel Lincoln Ashida also received copies of this email.

After the email was sent, Chair Yoshimoto apologized to Cook Lauer on behalf of all the parties involved in the incident.

Here is a copy of that email:

Dear Chairman Yoshimoto:

On behalf of the Big Island Press Club, we are writing to formally protest the treatment of three BIPC members and their equipment on April 1.

I understand from witnesses and partially from my own personal observation that Clerks Office staff removed thousands of dollars worth of laptops, bags, cameras and other equipment belonging to members of the media from the media area of council chambers and deposited them in the hallway.

This happened after the council had called an executive session and the media had cleared the chambers. The media had gone to the meeting room across the hall and were within calling distance of staff, had they wished to call us back to retrieve our belongings.

Instead, the gear was left in the hallway, risking the loss of equipment by theft in addition to damage by those not familiar with handling others’ equipment. A working journalist’s gear is worth more than its monetary value. It also holds irreplaceable photos, video, notes and articles.

If the rules have changed about whether equipment must be removed during executive session, it would be a professional practice to notify the media ahead of time. As it happened, journalists who have been covering the council for years were treated with disrespect and a lack of trust that they felt undeserved.

The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) has announced its regional 2014 Edward R. Murrow Awards, and Hawaii Public Radio has won in three categories. The entire newsroom won for “Best News Series” for “Feeding Ourselves: Hawaii ’s Food Future,” which included contributions from reporters on Oahu , Hawaii Island and Molokai . Reporter Molly Solomon won for “Best Breaking News” for her coverage of the molasses spill in Honolulu Harbor . Solomon also won in the “Feature Reporting” category for her piece “ Hawaii ’s Brain Drain,” done as part of the HPR News series “Neighbors.”

“We are honored to receive recognition in this prestigious competition,” said HPR News Director Bill Dorman. “The work of our local news team is part of what is made possible by the generous support of our station members.” HPR CEO and General Manager Michael Titterton added “The commitment to quality journalism is an important and continuing piece of what we are at Hawaii Public Radio, and this recognition of the team’s accomplishments is gratifying.”

The RTDNA website says “the awards recognize the best electronic journalism produced by radio, television and online news organizations around the world.” The organization also noted that there were a record number of entries for this year’s awards, “in what proved to be one of the most competitive Edward R. Murrow Awards seasons in RTDNA history.” They are named for the broadcast news pioneer and longtime CBS news correspondent, legendary for both his radio and television coverage. “The Murrow Awards honor journalism at its finest,” added Mike Cavender, Executive Director of RTDNA. “Local newsrooms serve their communities 365 days a year, and we’re proud to recognize the great work they do.”

All regional winners automatically advance to the national Edward R. Murrow Awards competition, which will be judged in May and presented in October.

Hawaii Public Radio can be heard throughout the state. On Hawaii Island, HPR 1 is over the air in West Hawaii at 90.7 f.m. in Waimea at 94.7 fm, and in East Hawaii at 91.1 fm, and on Oceanic Cablevision 864. HPR 2 is over the air in West Hawaii at 88.7 fm and at 89.7 fm, in Pahala at 91.7 fm, and on Oceanic Cablevision 865. HPR 2 should be available over the air in East Hawaii by the end of the year. Both stations are also online at www.hawaiipublicradio.org

Hawaiʻi Island police will increase enforcement of distracted driving as part of a national campaign called “U Drive U Text U Pay” which runs April 10 through April 15.

Distracted driving is a problem of national concern. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration finds that the task of driving requires a driver’s full attention in focusing on the roadway and driving maneuvers. Any distraction that diverts a driver’s attention from the primary tasks of maneuvering the vehicle and responding to critical events increases the driver’s risk of being involved in a motor vehicle crash. A distraction is anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, mind off the road or hands off the wheel.

On July 1, 2013, the State of Hawaiʻi enacted law prohibiting the use of cellular phones and other mobile electronic devices while operating a vehicle (with certain exceptions) and to specifically prohibit activities such as texting, instant messaging, gaming and e-mailing, which take a driver’s eyes off the road, mind off the road and hands off the wheel.

This will be the first HIKI NŌ appearance for all four schools. The episode is scheduled to premiere Thursday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. on PBS Hawaii.

From March 31 through April 4, HIKI NŌ Executive Producer Robert Pennybacker, Managing Editor Susan Yim and Editor/Assistant Producer Lawrence Pacheco will visit each school to train students and teachers on their responsibilities as “home-base,” or host, schools. Photos from these sessions will be available for publication after the training period.

Among the students’ host duties will be to present notable facts about their communities.

“One of the key goals of HIKI NŌ is to teach students the skills to tell visual stories about their communities, especially remote communities rarely covered by traditional media outlets,” Pennybacker said. “It’s important for the people of Hawaii to get a glimpse of unique communities across the state, and to give students in those communities a voice.”

Awards are determined by the BIPC Scholarship Committee to qualified applicants.

To qualify, applicants must:

Have residential ties to the Big Island

Express a clear interest in and aptitude for a career in journalism or a related field

Be pursuing a degree in journalism or a related field and enrolled full time at an accredited college or university

Maintain a strong record of academic achievement.

Application forms and instructions are available at the BIPC website: www.BigIslandPressClub.org <http://www.BigIslandPressClub.org> and will be available from high school counselors at Big Island public and private high schools. The deadline to apply for the 2014 scholarships is April 15; applications must be postmarked by this date.

The Hawaii State Senate today recognized Dennis Francis, president and publisher of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, who was recently named “Publisher of the Year” by Editor & Publisher Magazine, the leading journal of the newspaper industry.

Publisher of the Year Dennis Francis

Francis merged Hawaii’s two daily papers, the Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin in 2010 and turned two struggling newspapers into one prosperous one. Over the past three years, the Star-Advertiser has successfully introduced a breaking news app for smart devices, created an innovative digital pricing structure, and promoted open and transparent government by filing lawsuits requiring public agencies to release information on their proceedings. Additionally, Frances is actively involved in the community and serves on a number of organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, American Red Cross, Aloha United Way and Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii.

“Francis is well-deserving of Publisher of the Year,” said Senate President Donna Mercado Kim. “His successes in professional achievements are more than matched by his charitable work. On behalf of the entire Senate body, I commend Dennis for his many contributions to our community, and wish him many more years of success and fulfillment in his professional and personal endeavors.”

Police have concluded their investigation of a reported sexual assault that reportedly occurred on Tuesday, November 19th, in a bathroom at a State Facility in Hilo.

The assault was alleged to have happened on the UH Hilo Campus

The investigation revealed that the incident did not occur, and the case has been closed as being unfounded. A False Report investigation has been initiated.

In related news:

A town hall meeting will take place tonight at 7:00 pm at Hale `Alahonua Cafe, UH Hilo campus:

UH Hilo administrators will be on hand to debrief the events of the last several days, and also to hear feedback from students about their concerns related to campus safety. Actions for how we will move forward as a campus community will also be explored. Open to all current UH Hilo & HawCC students. Representatives of the media are kindly requested to respect students’ rights to have a “safe space” to share their thoughts/feelings/experiences.

According to UH Hilo Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Luoluo Hong, the meeting will not be open to press officials in their capacity as press officials:

…I want to reiterate that it is intended for students. Representatives of the media need to be attending as private citizens/extended members of the UH Hilo community and not in their capacity as press officials.

As many of you know, I’ve had an interest in journalism for some time now. I’ve been working on Civil Beat for three years and through my philanthropic work at Omidyar Network and Democracy Fund, we’ve supported many efforts around the world related to media, citizen engagement, and government transparency and accountability.

Separate from my work with Omidyar Network and Democracy Fund, and as part of my growing interest to preserve and strengthen the role journalism plays in society, I explored purchasing The Washington Post over the summer. That process got me thinking about what kind of social impact could be created if a similar investment was made in something entirely new, built from the ground up. Something that I would be personally and directly involved in outside of my other efforts as a philanthropist.

I developed an interest in supporting independent journalists in a way that leverages their work to the greatest extent possible, all in support of the public interest. And, I want to find ways to convert mainstream readers into engaged citizens. I think there’s more that can be done in this space, and I’m eager to explore the possibilities.

Right now, I’m in the very early stages of creating a new mass media organization. I don’t yet know how or when it will be rolled out, or what it will look like.

What I can tell you is that the endeavor will be independent of my other organizations, and that it will cover general interest news, with a core mission around supporting and empowering independent journalists across many sectors and beats. The team will build a media platform that elevates and supports these journalists and allows them to pursue the truth in their fields. This doesn’t just mean investigative reporting, but all news.

As part of my learning process, I recently reached out to Glenn Greenwald to find out what journalists like him need to do their jobs well. As it turns out, he and his colleagues Laura Poitras and Jeremy Scahill, were already on a path to create an online space to support independent journalists. We had a lot of overlap in terms of our ideas, and decided to join forces.

I believe that independent journalists like Glenn, Laura, and Jeremy play an important role in our society. We’ll be working with them and others, but we have a long way to go in terms of what the organization looks like, people’s roles and responsibilities — all of those things still need to be worked out.

I’ll be sure to update you along the way as the new organization progresses.

Arianna Huffington and Former Executive Director of the Big Island Visitors Bureau George Applegate

The Huffington Post, the Pulitzer Prize-winning source of news, opinion, entertainment, community and digital information, and Honolulu Civil Beat launched HuffPost Hawaii. The Huffington Post’s newest edition offers real-time local news and perspectives, along with national and international coverage, to both local and global audiences. To celebrate its launch, HuffPost Hawaii will host a series of events this week, including an industry talk with local media, receptions on O‘ahu, Maui and Hawai‘i Island, and a panel on “The Third Metric: Redefining Success Beyond Money and Power,” an editorial initiative that will feature prominently on HuffPost Hawaii.

“Beyond being a major tourist destination and home to more than one million people, Hawai‘i occupies a unique place in our collective imagination,” said Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group. “In addition to its history, diversity and unique culture, Hawai‘i’s natural beauty and Aloha spirit have made it a world capital of unplugging and recharging. As we focus on The Third Metric and redefining success beyond money and power to include well-being, wisdom and giving back, there is so much that Hawai‘i can teach the rest of the world. We are delighted to be partnering with Honolulu Civil Beat in order to tell the islands’ most important stories—and, just as important, to help the people of Hawai‘i tell their stories themselves—while at the same time bringing those stories to the rest of America and to our growing international audience.”

Arianna and Pierre visited the Nawahi Hawaiian Immersion School before meeting with business and community members. Photo HuffPost Hawaii

HuffPost Hawaii features a dynamic blend of high-quality content ranging from slideshows of Hawai‘i, guides to local attractions and the topics that matter most to Hawai‘i residents, such as the state’s education system and economic development. And of course, HuffPost Hawaii will showcase local bloggers sharing their voices and unique perspectives.

“The Huffington Post has enormous reach into communities around the world and now here at home in Hawai‘i. The partnership with Civil Beat is full of opportunity as we look to leverage that platform to share Hawai‘i’s unique assets as well as our challenges,” said Pierre Omidyar, co-founder, CEO & publisher of Honolulu Civil Beat. “ We’re eager to see what voices emerge from across the islands, and which stories people feel are important to share with others. I believe this partnership has the power to shape the world’s perception of Hawai‘i and there’s an open invitation to every resident to be a part of that.”

Those interested in becoming a community blogger for HuffPost Hawaii can email the editorial team at hawaiiblogs@huffingtonpost.com.

HuffPost Hawaii brings together the resources of The Huffington Post and Honolulu Civil Beat, Hawai‘i’s largest news organization dedicated exclusively to civic affairs journalism. Honolulu Civil Beat has hired a new editorial team to manage HuffPost Hawaii’s content, editorial direction and daily operations. Honolulu Civil Beat will continue to operate as a standalone local news site, serving as a vibrant platform for civic engagement and a reliable source for public affairs news and investigative reporting.

After meeting with community and business members, Arianna and Pierre visited Richard Ha’s Farm Hamakua Springs Country Farms. Photo HuffPost Hawaii

HuffPost Hawaii’s debut follows the May launch of HuffPost Japan, a partnership between The Huffington Post and Asahi Shimbun, Japan’s second-largest newspaper. HuffPost Hawaii is uniquely positioned to be a journalistic platform for bridging Asia and the Pacific while sharing Hawai‘i’s aloha spirit with the rest of the world.

Stay connected to HuffPost Hawaii on Facebook (Facebook.com/HuffPostHawaii) and Twitter (@HuffPostHawaii). Launch events for Ke Ka’apuni: A Tour of Hawai‘i will be tracked via the hashtag #AlohaHuffPost.

Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington and eBay Founder Pierre Omidyar (also founder of Civil Beat) are on the Big Island right now and just finished a luncheon with business and community leaders at the Imiloa Astronomy Center.

Aloha! I’m here for the launch of our newest edition, HuffPost Hawaii. We are delighted to be partnering with Honolulu Civil Beat, a beacon of journalism in Hawaii focusing on public affairs and investigative reporting, with deep roots in the local culture. In its three years, Civil Beat has committed itself to the mission of its founder, Pierre Omidyar — who also founded eBay — and has created a “a vibrant civic square.”

They arrived a little after 12:00 this afternoon and then were ushered into a private room where Huffington and Omidyar held a conference call with some folks on the mainland and talked about their trip so far.

They were very relaxed and only a few of us were allowed in the room

Once the livestream began, we all had to be completely quiet in the room as the microphones were very sensitive.

I had never heard Arianna speak before and then all of a sudden she started speaking and she had this accent that I couldn’t even tell where it was from!

After the lunch, Arianna and Pierre talked to audience members about their new upstart and why they started it. They also invited folks to contact the HuffPost Hawaii if they would like to blog for them.

Arianna and Pierre talk to community members.

After their short introduction and talk… they took time to mingle with community members.

Pierre and some blogger dude!

Arianna and that same blogger dude!

Arianna writes:

…By bringing together Civil Beat’s local journalism expertise with the Huffington Post’s global platform, HuffPost Hawaii will be a powerful forum for storytelling and the exchange of ideas, a place to celebrate Hawaii’s way of life and to put the spotlight on what needs improving. It has been such a pleasure working with Pierre Omidyar, as well as Civil Beat’s general manager Jayson Harper and of course Civil Beat’s editor Patti Epler, who I’m thrilled will be HuffPost Hawaii’s editor-in-chief. Our team at HuffPost Hawaii will also include associate editors Gabriela Aoun and Chloe Fox, and social media editors Gene Park and Carla Herreria…

Well I’m just going to copy and paste some of the pertinent information here and folks can read the rest at the link below.

To tie this in to the Big Island… Stephens Media own the Hawaii Tribune Herald, West Hawaii Today, Big Island Weekly and a few other publications on this island.

Sun Publisher and Editor Brian Greenspun today sued Stephens Media, owner of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, in an effort to derail Stephens’ proposal to dissolve a long-standing business agreement in which it prints and distributes the Sun and shares advertising revenues with the Sun.

Brian Greenspun

The agreement, known as a Joint Operating Agreement, was sanctioned by the Justice Department in 1989 to ensure that Las Vegas would have two independent newspapers with differing editorial points of view… In a deal reached in recent weeks between Stephens Media and three of the four Greenspun siblings, the family would agree to terminate the JOA agreement — unburdening Stephens from printing and distributing the Sun — in exchange for Stephens giving the family ownership of the URL lasvegas.com, according to court papers filed in support of Brian Greenspun’s lawsuit…

First amendment attorney Jeff Portnoy tells reporters that one Senator – Judiciary Chair Clayton Hee – killed Hawaii’s journalism shield law this 2013 legislative session even though it is considered one of the best in the country because of his distrust and disdain for the media.

The endgame for the shield law played itself out in the state Senate and House today after efforts to extend the life of the law failed.

The Senate passed a draft bill authored by Sen. Clayton Hee by a vote of 16-9. But the House hours earlier amended that bill to eliminate changes and extend the life of the shield law by two years. The net result is that there are now two different bills, and that means the bill dies Thursday.

Without legislation extending its life or making it a permanent part of Hawaii statutes, the shield law will sunset June 30, 2013. It will die a victim of Hee’s visceral disdain for the media and the failure of political will in the state Senate.

House leaders Scott Saiki and Cynthia Thielen courageously worked to amend the bill in the House to extend the existing law for two years to give parties time to take a closer look at the issues. The Senate knew of the House action but ignored pleas from shield law supporters to consider an extension amendment to reconcile the bills and keep the existing shield law alive. Instead, Hee pushed through his bill to define journalists and journalism in a narrow way, eliminate protection for non-traditional journalists and digital media publications. Hee’s bill was nothing more than an effort to replace a good law with a zombie of his own creation.

There was a lot of fingerpointing back and forth and scratching of heads by senators about why an amendment to extend the life of the shield law never came up on the floor of the Senate. A lot of unaccountability politics in the kabuki of the Senate.

While it’s true that nothing is ever dead at the Legislature until everyone leaves the building, and maybe not even then, it is unlikely that there will be an extension to the existing shield law.

We’ll have a lot more to say about this in the days to come. But it is a shame that Hee’s antics wins out, and he kills one of the best shield laws in the country. We will have no shield law, but we must continue to have the collective will and desire to defend the First Amendment.

As I said in my earlier letter to you, I do not wish to engage in a pointless debate with Sen. Clayton Hee on the merits of HB622 Regarding Evidence. However, Sen. Hee’s insistence on distorting the record requires a response.

The Judiciary Evidence Committee’s Report of December 2011 states that it recommends that “the sunset provision be eliminated and that Act 210 be integrated into H.R.S. Ch. 621.” The committee says the Legislature might, “were it so inclined,” look at sections of the law. Nowhere is there any indication of a minority report or dissenting vote on the committee. Committee discussions were confidential so if Deputy Attorney General Diedre Marie-Iha wishes to cast a public dissent, that is her right. However, in testimony submitted to the House Judiciary Committee on February 2, 2012, on a matter related to the shield law, Judge Glenn Kim, chair of the Evidence Committee, said this:

“The Judiciary supports making the news media privilege permanent by repealing the scheduled sunset date of Act 210, Session Laws of Hawaii 2008, as amended by Act 113, Session Laws of Hawaii, as proposed in House Bill No. 2763, which is currently pending hearing by this committee.” (Underscore added)

Nothing Judge Kim said at that time would suggest that the committee was anything but supportive of the shield law.

I should note that during the senate judiciary committee hearing on HB622 on March 28, 2013, Deputy Attorney General Marie-Iha submitted her testimony late so it was not available to the committee or the public until moments before she testified. I did not have an opportunity to read it, much less comment at length about what she had to say.

Sen. Hee contends that at that hearing the news media were unable to provide examples of how the shield law has been used over the past five years. He bases this statement on the testimony of one testifier, whom Sen. Hee badgered during questioning. Sen. Hee gave no one else an opportunity to respond to his question. If he is interested, I can cite examples where the shield law has been used to ward off problems. There are the Ka Loko Dam breach case on Kauai and the Big Island voter fraud case. The shield law was invoked in these cases to head off major problems involving confidential sources used in news gathering. And having the law deters others from trying to force disclosure because they know the law prevents going on fishing expeditions for news sources and unpublished information.

If Sen. Hee is interested in more information on this matter, I would be happy to provide it in depth and detail when I return. I offer these comments now in the interest of a clear record for you to make rational decisions involving important matters of a free press in Hawaii.

Since then, a lovely couple of retired doctors from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina have been to all but one – Village Burger! We are working to welcome Joe and Doris Lindner (and their kids and grandchildren), on Friday, April 26th at 10:30 a.m., with a presentation by Kahu Danny Akaka & family, Senate and Mayoral proclamations, and hopefully some of the restaurant’s many local farmers, bakers, ranchers and other food providers – to show it ‘takes a village’ to make a great Village Burger.

Doris and Joe Lindner pose by the USA Today poster at the Char-Grill in Raleigh, N.C. During the past two years, the couple, retired doctors living on Hilton Head Island, have driven to all but one of America’s 51 Great Burger Joints

WHAT: Epicurean history will be made when Joe and Doris Lindner of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, visit Village Burger Waimea on April 26 to complete their journey across America to eat at all of USA Today’s “51 Great Burger Joints.” Hawai‘i Island’s award-winning restaurant is the final stop on their delicious two-year quest.

WHO: Village Burger Waimea will welcome the Lindners with a special ceremony, including music and dance by Danny and Anna Akaka, proclamations from the offices of Hawai‘i County Mayor Billy Kenoi and Senator Malama Solomon, and support from the Big Island Visitors Bureau.

Joe and Doris will be joined by their daughters and sons-in-law Karen and Tom Pappas, Laura and Kevin Sankey; and grandchildren, Logan, Nolan, Colton, Teddy and Charlotte as they make history.

WHEN: FRIDAY, APRIL 26 – 10:30 A.M.

WHERE: VILLAGE BURGER WAIMEA

Parker Ranch Center, 67-1185 Hawai‘i Belt Road, Kamuela, HI 96743

WHY: In October 2010, Chef/Owner Edwin Goto’s popular eatery Village Burger Waimea was named one of USA Today’s “51 Great Burger Joints” as part of the national newspaper’s “Great American Bites” series. Hawai‘i food writer Joan Namkoong provided the recommendation noting the restaurant as
“A locavore’s delight, with a grass-fed, pasture-raised, ground-fresh-daily Big Island beef burger, thick and grilled to order, topped with just-picked, Waimea-grown veggies in a brioche bun from nearby Hawi town.”

The Lindners were visiting a daughter in Colorado when the list was published and paid a visit to Colorado’s top pick Park Burger in Denver. On their drive home to South Carolina, they visited three more burger joints on the list and that’s when Joe and Doris made the decision to set out to eat at all the restaurants on the list. Click here to read more about their journey.

NOTE: The public is invited to attend this special ceremony and celebration.

In an article written today by John Burnett of the Hawaii Tribune entitled, “Subpoena seeks names of people who wrote online,” Hilo Attorney Ted Hong has requested personal information regarding folks that commented on an article written on January 30th, 2012.

Click to read article

The newspaper complied with the demand and gave away the information of their readers, which they can legally do.

…Hilo attorney Ted Hong, who’s representing Elections Office Administrator Pat Nakamoto in her defamation lawsuit against former County Council Chairman Dominic Yagong and former County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi, filed the subpoena on Jan. 4 in 3rd Circuit Court. In it, he’s seeking the identities of individuals posting under the user-names “punatic,” “Taxedtodeath,” “punatic8,” “QQ,” “548991” and “rsjm.”

The document seeks “any and all account information, including but not limited to, name, birthdate, mailing address, telephone number(s), Internet protocol address, (and) name of Internet service provider … .” The deadline for providing the information is today.

A legal disclaimer on the Tribune-Herald’s website contains the statement: “IP and email addresses of persons who post are not treated as confidential records and will be disclosed in response to valid legal process.”

“We are complying with the subpoena requests,” said David Bock, Tribune-Herald editor and news director for Stephens Media Hawaii. “We are very protective of our news sources and reporters’ work, but we have no control over what members of the public write in our website’s comments section…”

Unfortunately, Ted Hong is also requesting that one of the paid journalists to turn over her notes in the case regarding this same case involving the fired election workers.

Hawaii has a shield law that protects both bloggers and journalists from turning over their sources.

“Hawaii allows anyone to claim protections under the shield law so long as they meet certain conditions, such as proving they write regular reports of substantial public interest.”(Civil Beat 8/31/12)

Burnett of the Tribune Herald writes:

“…West Hawaii Today also was subpoenaed by Hong, seeking the notes of Stephens Media reporter Nancy Cook Lauer regarding stories she wrote about the firing of Nakamoto and three other elections workers, and the flap that ensued.

Bock said Stephens Media is fighting that subpoena, noting that Hawaii has a “shield law” protecting journalists in most cases from having to turn over their notes or the identities of their sources…”

I hope that Nancy Cook Lauer and the folks at West Hawaii Today stick to their guns and do not allow their reporters notes to be turned over to investigators. It would be a huge step back in journalism and folks would no longer feel comfortable talking to reporters about things they know about if they might get in trouble for it in the future.

I’ve noticed that Tiffany Edwards Hunt of the Big Island Chronicle and David Corrigan of Big Island Video News have been pretty quiet and not blogging as much of late. I wonder if they also got served with these subpoenas?

Data from CAST shows how many enslaved people from various countries the LA-based group has helped free from the vicious trafficking cycle.

…When eBay went public in 1998, Pierre Omidyar “skipped ‘regular rich’ and went straight to ‘ridiculous rich,’ ” he says. He and Pam, a molecular scientist and his college sweetheart from Tufts, decided immediately that they’d give the vast majority of their wealth away within their lifetimes (they’ve since signed the Giving Pledge). Both just 31 then and worth more than $7 billion, it was a serious, overwhelming proposition. It took a few early years of earnest, scattershot check-writing across a handful of charities before they focused on trafficking as a target…”